When Sviat Tarasov walks across Trinity’s campus now, he takes in the familiar buildings, quiet paths, and faces of friends he has known for years.
“Trinity has been a very special place for me, a place where I built amazing friendships and strengthened my relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ,” he said. “It is one of the few places in my life I can wholeheartedly call home. Knowing that the institution I have been part of for so long is closing truly breaks my heart.”
After Trinity Christian College announced on November 4 that it would close at the end of the 2025–2026 academic year, students like Sviat struggled to process the reality.
“Honestly, when we heard the news that Tuesday, many of us cried. It’s incredibly hard to say goodbye to a place that has shaped so much of our lives. Yet, at the same time, I’ve never seen our community more united,” Sviat said.
“If you walk around campus right now, the amount of students proudly wearing Trinity merch is incredible. Yes, we are heartbroken, but we’re also deeply grateful for the time we’ve had together. As student government president, my team and I are doing everything we can to make both this semester and final one as bright, loud, and memorable as possible. In one of our meetings, President Mozie told me that we are writing the final chapter of Trinity. It’s sad, but also deeply beautiful.”
For 21-year-old senior Mia Musick from Fisher, Trinity was where she found herself. “Trinity is where I found myself and my family. Even though I was close to transitioning away as a senior, the closure means that I cannot come back and visit the place that brought so much love and comfort to me. However, I know that Trinity is its people, so I believe that we will remain a family.”
Ashley Yonkman, also 21, who has lived full-time at Trinity this past year, described the closure as both heartbreaking and a call to purpose.
“Trinity has become my permanent home, my family, and the place where I discovered so much about my vocational calling. I deeply grieve with all of my fellow students as many people I have formed relationships with here have to transfer. I also grieve with the faculty and staff who have been a huge part of my Trinity experience. But it also means that we are all being given a call from God to go out and be a light wherever we end up next.”
Even amid grief, students have grown closer. Mia reflected on the unexpected clarity the closure brought. “When something is taken away, you often realize its true value. Our community has only grown stronger as we grieve our loss together. We are grieving, but we are not divided.”
Ashley noted how students have been intentional about savoring every moment.
“On one hand, this has made the student body grieve in ways that we never have before. But it has also brought us closer together. We know our time is limited, so we have started to build stronger community, show up for each other, and create space to form memories together with the time that we have left,” she said.
Sviat said the late-night Bible studies and worship nights will be the hardest to leave behind. Mia will miss witnessing fellow students discover their passions and callings. Ashley said it is the community itself that she will miss most.
“The ability to walk onto campus in any season and see faces that I know, that are welcoming and show the light of Christ,” she said. “I will miss the faculty and staff who have shaped me, and the random and fun experiences we get to have here because we all want to do life with one another. But I have hope because all of those things, if we are creative, can still happen in the future.”
Looking ahead, Sviat has not yet decided where he will finish his degree, trusting God’s guidance. Mia will move into the workforce, carrying the lessons she has learned. Ashley plans to attend seminary to earn a Master’s in Ministry Leadership.
Even in the face of an ending, there is hope.
“It has been so beautiful to see my community come together as we face this tragedy,” Mia said. “I am proud to call Trinity my Alma Mater, something I will continue doing, because even as it comes to a formal close, Trinity lives on.” For Sviat, a verse from Romans offers comfort and perspective. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Trinity Christian College may be closing its doors, but the lessons, friendships, and faith it nurtured will live on in the students who called it home. The college will hold its final commencement ceremony on May 8, 2026, celebrating the enduring impact of a community that has shaped generations of students.
